I haven’t been posting much because I’m working hard on a few new releases. “A Lifetime” is out, as are two collections of short stories, but there will be a few more titles in the coming weeks — though I can’t give too much information away just yet.

]]>https://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/27/a-lifetime-realeased-on-ebook/feed/7morrisfenrisImageStrange Origins of Common Sayingshttps://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/strange-origins-of-common-sayings/
https://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/strange-origins-of-common-sayings/#commentsFri, 20 Sep 2013 18:52:45 +0000http://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/?p=77Continue reading →]]>I was working on a book recently and stopped myself when I realized I used an idiom which, on the face of it, I thought nothing about; I’ve heard it used for a long time and it’s worked its way into common usage, but in reality, it makes very little sense. So, in a mission of procrastination and Wikipedia link clicking, I ended up going down a rabbit hole of etymology, creating waves of “ooh” and “really?” on the way.

This is what I came up with:

“Under the Thumb” and “Wrapped around your Little Finger”

Both of these terms, surprisingly enough, come from the famous medieval pastime of falconry. I always imaged that wrapped around your little finger was self-explanatory, that it was referring to complete control over having someone neatly wound around a small and insignificant part of your body, but it actually refers to the process to make sure the bird stayed on the glove; wrapping string around its feet and then winding the string around your little finger to give you complete control of the falcon.

If you’ve ever held a mischievous or uncooperative parrot/bird, you’ll recognize under the thumb as the method of placing your thumb over its claws once it’s in your hand, ensuring that it doesn’t fly away.

“Basket Case”

Typically used to refer to someone as a lost cause, this saying allegedly comes from the Great War when soldiers who lost their arms and legs had to be carried around in baskets. Incredibly depressing, but there’s a lot of mystery surrounding this saying so there’s a good chance it isn’t true.

“Getting up on the Wrong Side of the Bed” and “Wrong End of the Stick”

These two come from the Romans. Getting up on the wrong side of the bed stems from their belief that it was bad luck to get out of bed on the left side; if you did, you were if in for one hell of a day.

Wrong end of the stick is a little more disgusting. As a substitute for toilet paper, the Romans used a sponge or a piece of cloth on the end of the stick. This often sat in a bowl of salted water before and after use, and was passed around when needed. If you weren’t paying attention when someone handed you the stick, there was a good chance you could grab the wrong end. I’ll leave the mental imagery with you.

“Mum’s the Word”

It seems that mum, meaning mother, has nothing to do with this saying. The mum here comes from an Old English saying which, simply put, means silence.

“Let the Cat out of the Bag”

This is another one that dates back to medieval times, this time in the fares and marketplaces where livestock was sold. Pigs were expensive and cats were cheap so after customers chose their pig to take home, an unscrupulous seller could bag it for them and switch it with a pre-bagged cat. If the buyer opened the bag there and then, they could expose the con by letting the cat out of the bag. If they left it until they got home, it was probably too late to do anything.

Now, back to writing:)

]]>https://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/strange-origins-of-common-sayings/feed/9morrisfenris50 Indian Moral Stories for Children, FREE for the Next Two Dayshttps://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/50-indian-moral-stories-for-children-free-for-the-next-two-days/
https://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/50-indian-moral-stories-for-children-free-for-the-next-two-days/#commentsFri, 20 Sep 2013 15:15:44 +0000http://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/?p=74Continue reading →]]>My book, 50 Indian Moral Stories for Children, is out now on Amazon Kindle and is free through today and tomorrow. A Lifetime, my other book, should be out within the next few days, I’m just sorting out a few things.

There has been a delay with the release of my book (it seems the publishing process never runs smoothly) so, whilst I am left on tenterhooks, I thought I would compile another short list of hotly anticipated releases, this time in the movie world.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The second part of The Hobbit Trilogy is due for a worldwide release on the 11th of December and is sure to be a box office hit for its co-writer, producer and directer Peter Jackson.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continues the adventures of Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

It has been 9 years since the release of the hilarious Anchorman film, and on the 20th of December, just in time to fill the Christmas seats at the box office, Ron Burgundy returns for a second installment. This time the intrepid newsman is in New York, working on the first 24-hour news channel.

The sequel to The Hunger Games is due for release at the end of November and follows Katniss Everdeen as she returns home from her success in the Annual Hunger Games. The novels by Suzanne Collins, on which the film is based, have sold over 50 million copies in the United States alone.

Godzilla

Who doesn’t love a good monster movie? In May 2014 cinema-goers will be treated to a retelling of the Godzilla story with Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston playing the lead role.

300: Rise of an Empire

The sequel to the visually beautiful battle-epic 300 is due for release in March next year, although director Noam Murro insists, “It’s not a sequel or a prequel, it’s different perspectives and characters in the battle between the Persians and the Greeks.”

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Set fifteen years after the events of the first film, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes continues the story of how a group of genetically evolved apes presided over the fall of human civilization. Due for release in the summer of 2014.

Fifty Shades of Grey

The book that has sold millions and divided opinion worldwide, is currently being adapted for our screens and will be released in August 2014. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s hard to ignore the figures (70 million copies have been sold worldwide) and the film is sure to follow suit.

2014 also sees the release of additions to the Paranormal Activity, Transformers and X-Men franchises; sequels to Horrible Bosses, The Woman in Black and The Amazing Spider-Man; the third Night at the Museum film and the completion of The Hobbit trilogy.

]]>https://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/eagerly-anticipated-film-releases/feed/2morrisfenrisImageNearly Therehttps://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/nearly-there/
https://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/nearly-there/#commentsTue, 17 Sep 2013 17:55:45 +0000http://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/?p=59Continue reading →]]>Not long now until my book is released. Could be a matter of hours…

This business of publishing and promoting has kept me busy beyond belief, but I still found time to put the finishing touches to another project I have been working on for a while. I won’t say much for now, but that project should be released in the next few weeks and can be enjoyed by all ages… it’ll all be revealed in time.

For now, A Lifetime is moments away.

I am amazed I managed to complete another project to be honest, although luckily most of the work had been done a few months back. To all my fellow authors out there, how did you fill the time between stressing and promoting?

“A Lifetime” is the story of a struggle. Of one man born into nothing and who fights to make his way through life, to leave the place of his birth – a place of suffering and strife – and to create a new life elsewhere. To find himself a wife, to start a family and to achieve the things he thought unachievable.

It is a story of success, loss, delight and grief; a story of what it means to have everything and what it feels like to have nothing. It is also a story of the very special bond between a father and his daughter.

My book “A Lifetime” will be released on the 17th of this month. It’s a very anxious and exciting time for me, I can’t wait. It’s not exactly ‘hotly anticipated’ by anyone but a select few, but in the spirit of my own anticipation, I threw together a small list of books that everyone else is waiting for:

The Winds of Winter

A Song of Ice and Fire is a series of epic fantasy books by George R. R. Martin that first made an appearance back in 1996, with Game of Thrones. The series has sold over 15 million copies worldwide and has seen spin offs in video games, board games, card games and on television. The sixth novel, The Winds of Winter, is due for release some time in 2015.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

It has been fifteen years since Helen Fielding released the last Bridget Jones book, but the sultry, hapless heroine is due to make a long awaited reappearance in October with Mad About the Boy.

Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

This forthcoming release earned the author of the sitcom “Girls” a $3.7 million advance. The book is going to be a compilation of essays of everything from dieting to dressing, it doesn’t sound like the makings of a bestseller but it’ll need to do something special for the publishers to recoup their money. Not That Kind of Girl is due for release on October 10th.

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

This hotly antiquated title is due out in a little under two weeks. Doctor Sleep is a sequel to the 1977 hit The Shining, and has had King fans trembling in excitement since it was announced back in 2009.

J. D. Sallinger

The reclusive author of Catcher in the Rye wrote many books throughout his lifetime that he never sent away for publication. If his biography Salinger, is to be believed, we can expect a series of his books to be released from 2015 through to 2010.

]]>https://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/anticipated-releases/feed/2morrisfenrisImageBook Reviews (Getting There)https://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/10/book-reviews-getting-there/
https://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/2013/09/10/book-reviews-getting-there/#commentsTue, 10 Sep 2013 18:23:53 +0000http://morrisfenris.wordpress.com/?p=39Continue reading →]]>Not long now until my book “A Lifetime” is published. I’m still working hard and have spent the last few weeks trying to get as much exposure as I can, and now I’m reaching out to all you fine blogging folk out there:)

I need some reviews for the book. I’m not asking for 5-star raving reviews, I just want honest opinions and genuine reviews that can be displayed on Amazon, Goodreads or your own blog. I am prepared to give away free copies of the book (it is only 10k words) to anyone who is willing and I can also give you a guest post/author interview if needed.

I never thought that publishing a book would be easy, but I never thought it would be this hard.

My new book (my first book) “A Lifetime” is still in production and should be available soon, but there’s a lot of work to do beforehand. Publishing is a very rewarding experience (I’m sure) but there is a lot of stressful and often tedious work that goes into it.

Did any writers out there have an easier, stress-less experience when publishing their first book?

And whilst I’m on the subject, I’m looking for reviewers for “A Lifetime” and have a number of copies (ebook and print) to give away to anyone who is interested. So, please get in touch if you are! You can email me at MorrisFenris (at) gmail (dot) com.

It won’t be long now until my new book, A Lifetime, is released. In the meantime, here is an extract from the opening chapter:

I was born in a bure, a small hut crafted from wood and straw that sat in a a cluster of others, looking like some Neolithic, sun-drenched piece of paradise. Despite appearances; it was far from paradise.

The huts were in a sugarcane plantation that worked the residents, my parents included, to the bone. They worked tirelessly for very little money. It was barely enough to keep themselves clothed and fed, let alone their families. My father was working on the day I was born, the day that an untrained midwife — a woman plucked from the sugarcane field to assist my screaming, agonized mother — dragged me from the comfort of my mother’s womb.

I came into the world kicking, screaming and suffering under the incompetence of others and I spent my childhood in much the same way. From a very early age I worked as hard as my parents did. I had no comforts, few friends, no time to play, nothing to play with and not much of a life to live. My parents loved me, they gave me all I could have hoped for, but they couldn’t do anything to make my life easier, to give me the life that a child deserves.

I strived to work hard and to make my own way in the world. When I was old enough, after many difficult years on the plantation, I stowed away on a container ship and left the country of my birth. I didn’t know where I was going, didn’t really know anything of the world beyond my small island home, but I was determined to make it wherever the ship took me.